AT&T iPad w/ Cellular Data off and No Sim Card still using Data

On the 17th I put my iPad 3rd Gen on a Data plan with AT&T 250 MB. I got sick shortly after that and the iPad never left the house. I have two solid WiFi signals at home (also 2 iPhones) and the signals are strong. Yesterday the 28th I get an email 80% of my data plan is used up.

After 1 hour on the phone with AT&T they gave me two months of 250 MB Data.

I wanted to do a test.

I turned off Cellular Data before (BEFORE) they gave me the new data plan and removed the sim card. I turned off the iPad and have not used it in over 24 hours.

I checked with AT&T and seems I used 16MB of data in the last 24 hours.

I called AT&T again, got to a supervisor named Ken who said "You must have a bad iPad" call Apple.

I had to explain to Ken, that if an iPad is OFF and there is NO signal and NO sim card it has as much chance of using cellular data as a toaster. He put me on hold and said he will ask for a way to escalate the problem. He came back and said he talked to a technician and sad "Sounds like a bad iPad you should call the Genius Bar". I tried again to explain that an iPad that is off, with data off and no Sim card cannot possibly reach all the way to AT&T and use data. If the iPad was reporting it and NOT AT&T I would be the first to agree, but AT&T is ticking down my data w/o any data being used.

Long story short they said they will escalate and have someone call me later or tomorrow.

I have had suspicions. Where I thought the data usage they say I used wasn't what I actually used (2nd line on my account, I have unlimited). But never went to the extent that you have. I honestly urge you to document it and get proof that the iPad is off and left off and the sim card is offly and pursue legal action. I love AT&T but that doesn't mean they won't lie cheat and steal, as much as I hate to say it.

Funny I just went to the settings to check my account data usage while wifi on cell off I signed in to see what data I used and the 4G came on yet settings say cell data off! Wtf. How can that be? Data off yet 4G icon showing?

Funny I just went to the settings to check my account data usage while wifi on cell off I signed in to see what data I used and the 4G came on yet settings say cell data off! Wtf. How can that be? Data off yet 4G icon showing?

The iPad will use cellular data anytime you go to your account through the settings menu. Therefore even if you have WiFi on and cellular data off the iPad will automatically turn it on when you log into your iPad account through the settings menu. If you check your account through the settings menu make sure you go back to settings when you are done and turn cellular data off again..... An alternative to checking your prepaid iPad account that won't use cellular data when you don't want to use it, is to use the iPad account Web site to check your account, as this is how I do it and it never uses my cellular data at all..... If you have AT&T you can check your iPad balance here: https://dcp2.att.com/OEPNDClient/?wt...l=calltoaction

That is great for him, but what is going on with mine when Cellular Data is turned off and has been for a month and AT&T still shows usage even if the iPad is OFF and the Sim Card removed. What's up AT&T. I am going to have to cancel my AT&T Account and have the set up a new account. Obviously there is something buggy with this number.

That is great for him, but what is going on with mine when Cellular Data is turned off and has been for a month and AT&T still shows usage even if the iPad is OFF and the Sim Card removed. What's up AT&T. I am going to have to cancel my AT&T Account and have the set up a new account. Obviously there is something buggy with this number.

AT&T gave you the solution, so I don't see why you insist on going on about this instead of taking your iPad into Apple and have it looked at. There is no way your iPad would still continue to use cellular data with no sim card installed as it would no longer be connecting to any of the cellular towers. If it is, that sounds more like an issue with the iPad itself than your account. I have kept my cellular data off for the past several days and after checking my account through the AT&T website, I haven't used so much as a KB of data.

AT&T gave you the solution, so I don't see why you insist on going on about this instead of taking your iPad into Apple and have it looked at. There is no way your iPad would still continue to use cellular data with no sim card installed as it would no longer be connecting to any of the cellular towers. If it is, that sounds more like an issue with the iPad itself than your account. I have kept my cellular data off for the past several days and after checking my account through the AT&T website, I haven't used so much as a KB of data.

AT&T did not give a solution, it gave a bad pass to someone else. I may be new to this forum, but with nearly 30 years in IT Management I understand technology. As you just said there is NO WAY the iPad can transmit data with it being off and the SIM card removed. So the iPad cannot be the issue. Only the SIM card can allow communication and data to AT&T and if it is sitting on the bakers rack in my house it can't transmit. Nor could an object like an iPad turned off. So the iPad as as much likelihood of being the issue as my late Grandmother Rose. The issue is much more likely a faulty set up or cross account at AT&T as they are getting ghost data or there is a fault with someone else's SIM card that is showing on my account.

If you watch your car getting crushed and get a speeding ticket for the crushed car a year later, you can't say it is bad car, it is more likely that someone took your plates and put it on a similar car or the DMV messed up a registration.

It could simply be data you had used previously. It can take up to 72hours for it to be reported.

Try turning off cellular data for a few days and track your data usage from the AT&T app. A good rule is to leave it off unless you leave the house with it.

If you set the account up from the iPad in settings you can not check your usage from the app as it will give you the error message that I will post here. Only way to check the balance without using data is to use the website link that I posted above.

If you set the account up from the iPad in settings you can not check your usage from the app as it will give you the error message that I will post here. Only way to check the balance without using data is to use the website link that I posted above.

AT&T did not give a solution, it gave a bad pass to someone else. I may be new to this forum, but with nearly 30 years in IT Management I understand technology. As you just said there is NO WAY the iPad can transmit data with it being off and the SIM card removed. So the iPad cannot be the issue. Only the SIM card can allow communication and data to AT&T and if it is sitting on the bakers rack in my house it can't transmit. Nor could an object like an iPad turned off. So the iPad as as much likelihood of being the issue as my late Grandmother Rose. The issue is much more likely a faulty set up or cross account at AT&T as they are getting ghost data or there is a fault with someone else's SIM card that is showing on my account.

If you watch your car getting crushed and get a speeding ticket for the crushed car a year later, you can't say it is bad car, it is more likely that someone took your plates and put it on a similar car or the DMV messed up a registration.

You can say it isn't the iPad if you want, but you haven't even tried another one. AT&T gave you a good "suggestion" if you like, but you would not even try doing what they said. Also you can not share data from another sim card, that is impossible. IMHO, AT&T is absolutely correct in that the iPad "COULD" be the issue.

You can say it isn't the iPad if you want, but you haven't even tried another one. AT&T gave you a good "suggestion" if you like, but you would not even try doing what they said. Also you can not share data from another sim card, that is impossible. IMHO, AT&T is absolutely correct in that the iPad "COULD" be the issue.

Sent from my iPad 4G using Tapatalk HD.

Based on Technology known to mankind that is shared with the public there is no possibility it could be the iPad. Plus I am not driving 90 minutes to the closest Genius Bar to sit and get answers based on what is already known. There is ONE exception, and that is if Apple has created two systems with the same IMEI number. That is the one exception that could make it the iPad.

I know some people think the OP is off his rocker. But over the weekend I streamed some stuff on HBO GO on wifi and turned off my cellular data. By Sunday I noticed a really big increase in data usage. I'm keeping an eye on it.

I have had similar issues with my iPhone 4s using data when it was powered off. All AT&T would do is credit my account. They have done this several times for me. Silly to have to go through the trouble.

I came upon this forum because I noticed even if my data plan is turned off, AT&T is saying I am still using data. I am in a space with 100% Wifi turned on all the time. After one day of setting up an AT&T account on my iPad it said I had used 6mb of data, even though data was off all the time. Then a week later the iPad left the building for a two day trip during which time the data plan was turned off most of the time. I turned data on for 45minutes on each day to check email, and a few news apps. No streaming videos or movies. My data consumption is now at 95mb used! I am really pissed, clearly AT&T is a data glutton and consumes data even when it is not being used. Perplexed in Santa Monica